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1 Feared Dead, 10 Hospitalised In Anambra Demolition Exercise

A middle aged woman (names withheld) reportedly slumped and died in
Ugwuachalla Ikenga village, Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area,
Anambra State, when Physical Planning Board, ANSPPB, marked her house
for demolition, weekend.

Ten others are also said to be hospitalised following the storming of
the areas by officials of ANSPPB, who allegedly marked their buildings
and 500 others for demolition.

The victim was said to have collapsed and died after signing the ANSPPB
order handed over to her by officials of the agency, who stormed the
area with armed policemen and local vigilance groups, as they embarked
on marking buildings for demolition with red ink.

Vanguard
gathered that in each house, the owner was forced to sign a
removal/demolition order letter signed by the Executive Secretary of
ANSPPB, Mr. Ben Nwafor, notifying them that they have 14 days to remove
whatever structure they erected in the said area.

A resident, Mr. Paul Okoye, expressed surprise over the manner they
stormed the area, adding “we have lived here a long time after our
forefathers. From the manner they were ordering us to sign the document
and to ensure we vacate the area within 14 days, we thought they were
the dreaded Islamic religious sect, Boko Haram.” Contacted, the ANSPPB
Executive Secretary said: “The land, measuring about 500 plots, were
earmarked for stadium development, but because government did not
commence its development earlier, the people started selling the land.
“Governor Willie Obiano, through the Sports Ministry, ordered for the
demolition of the structures erected there.”